More than two decades ago, attorney Evan Braude won election to the City Council’s 1st District seat, serving two terms while trying and failing three times to move on to other political offices.

Now, Braude is “considering” a return to the seat that launched his short-lived political career, he said Wednesday.

That makes Braude the fourth known potential candidate for the position held by Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, who is running for the state Assembly’s 54th District seat and with whom Braude has had a 20-year relationship.

Lowenthal is considered the favorite as the Democratic candidate in a district dominated by Long Beach and Democratic voters. She is running against Palos Verdes Peninsula Republican Gabriella Holt.

“I’ve talked to people about it, but I haven’t made any decision yet,” Braude said. “I won’t make a final decision until after the (November) election.”

Braude served on the council from 1986 to 1994, but because term limits restricting council members to two terms weren’t approved until 1992, during Braude’s second term, he can serve out the remainder of Lowenthal’s term and still serve another full term as well, according to Chief Assistant City Attorney Heather Mahood.

Despite having been elected and re-elected to the council, Braude’s other political aspirations have fallen short.

He ran for Congress in 1992 to fill the seat of his retiring stepfather, Glenn Anderson, winning the Democratic nomination but losing to the Republican candidate. Braude also ran unsuccessfully for Long Beach city prosecutor in 1994 and 1998.

If Lowenthal wins the Assembly seat Tuesday, and if Braude and the other men who have expressed an interest in the council seat go ahead with their campaigns, that will create an interesting dynamic in the race.

While Braude is in a relationship and lives with Lowenthal in Long Beach, another person who has expressed an interest in running has connections to one of her sons.

That possible candidate is Robert Garcia, the recently promoted dean of students at Long Beach City College and president of the North Pine Neighborhood Alliance. He sits on the board of the Long Beach nonprofit group Children Today and is friends with Josh Lowenthal, Bonnie Lowenthal’s younger son.

Endorsements from any members of the politically powerful Lowenthal family – from Bonnie Lowenthal as the previous 1st District council member (assuming she goes to Assembly); from her ex-husband, state Sen. Alan Lowenthal; or from Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal, who is married to Bonnie’s older son – likely would be highly prized in a 1st District race.

The other unofficially announced candidates in the still unofficial race, which would take place in late February or March, are council gadfly and movie theater employee Harvey Cochran and Bill Grisolia, a Long Beach homeless advocate, former restaurant owner and musician.

Registration drive a hit

Remember that countywide voter registration drive Oct. 20, the last day to register to vote in next week’s election?

The Long Beach City Clerk’s office participated in the effort, and I was there in front of City Hall for about an hour to see dozens of people stop by to register.

Apparently, many more showed up later, and by midnight 955 people had registered in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s office. Countywide, 18,486 people registered over the seven-hour period at 14 locations, bringing the total number of registered voters in the county to 4.2 million.

Not bad for a night’s work.

54th candidates on TV

As we count down to election day, voters have a few remaining opportunities to hear about local candidates and issues.

Tonight, an interview with 54th Assembly District candidates Lowenthal and Holt will air on “Straight Talk TV” at

7 p.m. on Charter Communications Channel 3.

The interview by host Art Levine also can be seen online at www.straighttalktv.com.

Look in the show’s online archives to see Levine interview Mayor Bob Foster about Measure I, the infrastructure improvement parcel tax that’s on Tuesday’s ballot, and Kathy Ryan, an opponent of the measure.

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